sanctuaire faunique de Nagzira - , Maharashtra

PIYUSH

Nagzira Tiger Reserve is located in the Bhandara and Gondia districts of Maharashtra. It is approximately 120 kilometers from Nagpur, making it relatively accessible for tourists. The reserve spans an area of about 152.81 square kilometers.

Originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1970, Nagzira was later included in the larger Nagzira-Navegaon Tiger Reserve. This integration aimed to enhance conservation efforts and provide a larger, contiguous habitat for tigers and other wildlife.

Nagzira's vegetation is primarily tropical dry deciduous forests. Key flora includes:
A dominant species in the reserve.
Bamboo Found extensively throughout the park.
Species :- Sal, Mahua, Ain, Tendu, and various medicinal plants.

The reserve is renowned for its rich biodiversity. Notable fauna includes:
Tigers (Panthera tigris) The primary attraction, with a significant population in the reserve.

Leopards (Panthera pardus) Commonly sighted in the park.
Indian Gaur (Bos gaurus) Also known as the Indian bison.
Sloth Bears (Melursus ursinus) Often seen foraging in the forest.
Deer Species Including Sambar (Rusa unicolor), Chital (Axis axis), and Barking Deer .

Birds Over 166 species, including migratory birds. Prominent species include peafowl, eagles, and kingfishers.
Reptiles Various species of snakes, lizards, and turtles.

Nagzira plays a critical role in the conservation of tigers and other wildlife.
Anti-Poaching Measures Regular patrolling and surveillance to prevent poaching activities.

Habitat Management Efforts to maintain and improve the habitat, ensuring water availability and forest health.
Community Engagement Involving local communities in conservation through awareness programs and sustainable livelihood initiatives.

Nagzira Tiger Reserve is a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts and tourists. Key attractions include:
Jeep Safaris Offering guided tours to spot wildlife.

Nature Trails Walking trails for birdwatching and exploring the forest.
Photography A haven for wildlife photographers due to its diverse fauna and picturesque landscapes.

By Air The nearest airport is Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur.
By Train The closest railway stations are in Gondia and Bhandara.
By Road Well-connected by road, with regular bus and taxi services from Nagpur and other nearby cities.
Tourists can choose from various accommodation options, including:
Forest Rest Houses Managed by the forest department, offering basic amenities.
Private Resorts Providing more luxurious stays with additional facilities.
Eco-Tourism Cottages Blending comfort with sustainable practices.

The best time to visit Nagzira is from October to June, with the winter and early summer months offering the most comfortable weather for wildlife viewing. The park remains closed during the monsoon season (July to September) due to heavy rains and breeding season.

Respect Wildlife Maintain a safe distance from animals and avoid disturbing them.
No Littering Keep the reserve clean by disposing of waste properly.
Follow Park Rules Abide by the guidelines set by park authorities to ensure safety and conservation.

Nagzira Tiger Reserve is a vital ecological haven, offering a unique opportunity to experience India's rich wildlife heritage. Its conservation efforts ensure the protection of its diverse flora and fauna, making it a crucial component of the country's natural landscape.

huzaifa R.

Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary is a rich biodiversity park located near Nagpur in Maharashtra. The park boasts of a vast variety of flora and fauna and houses exotic species of animals, birds and plants. The park also has a cottage to facilitate accommodation for the visiting guests which in itself is a unique experience. Besides, it has a temple of snakes located right in the centre of the Sanctuary.

Akash G.

Our trip to Nagzira in March 2020 turned out better than expected. We saw wild dogs (dhols), a female leopard, langur, spotted deer, sambar deer, nilgai, peacocks, gaur, wild boar, owl in the space of three safaris. The Central Indian jungle gives a serene feeling and it was very soothing to experience nature and wildlife from an open Jeep. Our driver and guide were friendly and knew the forest well though we had to often poke them to tell us few things. We stayed at FDCM Nagzira resort and it was quite a unique experience to stay inside the core zone of a tiger reserve.

Few people saw a leopard couple at the resort restaurant at night and there are almost always deer and langurs very close to the restaurant.

Deepanshu A.

Went there in last week ie Oct 17
Booked online, morning slot
Forest was quite dense and cool, guide was also good, but sad part is was not able to locate many species there.

As per discussion with guide if you wanna see good amount of animals than go there near June evening slot.

Gurjyot G.

Very huge forest and it is divided in to two parts the old part is very nice and the new part of the jungle is full of green tress flowers and other plants but very few animals are in the new part of forest . If your new to visit the forest go for the old part of the forest and spend atleast 2 days so that you can enjoy the whole jungle. There is also vary nice facility of resort inside the forest by the government also there are various private resort available in which you can get rooms through online booking. Kaur type nagzira resort.
Now days 5tigers are in the forest and various different type of birds you can see in this forest . Most possibility of seeing wild dogs . If your lucky u can have citations of tiger and leopard 🐆.
Many of photogenic people came for having great nature pictures .
Only come before rainy season during summer.there is more chance to see the whole animals of the jungle.

SUMEDH M.

Thik hi hai…short outing k liye

Abhishek B.

Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary
The Nagzira wildlife sanctuary is a miraculously preserved “Green Oasis” in the easternmost part of the Maharashtra State and has a great importance from bio-diversity conservation point of view. This sanctuary is locked in the arms of nature and adorned with picturesque landscapes, luxuriant vegetation and serves as living outdoor museum to explore and appreciate nature. This wildlife sanctuary is indeed nature’s priceless asset and beckons one and all to enjoy its picturesque landscape, its scenic beauty, its pure and fresh air. It is really a boon to us and hence we must realise the real worth of this marvelous treasure house of nature and must protect it as a part of our national heritage. It has got immense potentials from bio-diversity conservation point of view and its values.

It is an important conservation unit in Central India in general and Vidarbha in particular. It acts a “Green-lung” for the adjoining human settlements and helps in maintaining the environmental balance.

Zoological values
It is home of many endangered species. The vertebrate fauna includes, besides a number of fishes, about 34 species of mammals, about 166 species of birds including migratory land and water birds, about 36 species of reptiles and about 4 species of amphibia. This sanctuary is notable for its wealth of birds and is indeed a bird watcher’s paradise. The zoological values of this sanctuary are briefly given below.

Invertebrates
This sanctuary is the abode of, besides innumerable other insects and ants species, about 49 Butterfly species belonging to 9 families, the important species among them are Common Rose, Common Mormon, Lime Butterfly, Common Sailor, Common Indian Crow, Black Rajah etc.

Mammals
Nearly 34 – species of mammal belonging to about 8 natural orders and 16 families are seen in this sanctuary, out of which about 14 species are of endangered status, namely Tiger, Panther, Jungle Cat, Small Indian Civet, Palm Civet, wolf, Jackal, Sloth Bear, Ratel, Common Giant Flying Squirrel, Gaur, Four Horned Antelope, Mouse Deer, Pangolin.

Birds
The avifauna of this sanctuary is its most attractive wildlife feature. Well over 166 species belonging to about 16 different orders and 47 families have been recorded here. Also as many as 15 species of migratory birds and about 42 species of local migrants are reported. One remarkable bird, “Bar-headed Goose” which is a winter migrant from Ladakh and Tibet inhabits Chorkhamara tank located adjoining the sanctuary. There are 13 bird species of endangered status including peafowl and the birds belonging to “Accipitridae” family.

Reptiles
This sanctuary is the abode of about 36 species of reptiles belonging to 2 natural orders and 11 families out of which about 6 species are of endangered status namely Indian Rock Python, Dhaman, Indian Cobra, Russel’s Viper, Checkered Keelback and Common Monitor.

Amphibia
This sanctuary is a home of many interesting varieties of frogs and toads like Tree-frog, Bull-frog, Six-toed frog, an uncommon toad; Ramanella Montana etc.
Fishes

The Nagzira lake and the other water-bodies in and around this sanctuary abound in many varieties of fresh water fishes.

Dhruv P.

It’s a great place to visit with family. We were even lucky to catch a site of a Leopard 🐆 on our way out from the park, right next to the road 3 feet away from our car. Best time to visit is 6-9 AM and 4-6 PM - more chances to see some animals!